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Colo. police: Student who set himself on fire dies

The Associated Press

Updated:
02/10/2014 05:29:56 AM EST

WESTMINSTER, Colo.—A 16-year-old student who set himself on fire at a suburban Denver high school nearly two weeks ago has died, police said.

Vincent Nett succumbed to his injuries at around 5 p.m. Sunday, Westminster Police Department police investigator Cheri Spottke said. The boy was burned over 80 percent of his body and had been in critical condition at a local hospital.

According to police and fire reports, the boy doused himself with an accelerant before lighting himself on fire in an apparent suicide attempt in Standley Lake High School's cafeteria on Jan. 27.

Police said he did not make any threats before he lit himself ablaze. A custodian used a fire extinguisher to put out the fire before it could spread. Several other students were in the cafeteria at the time, but none were injured.

Fire officials have said that a 1-gallon Coleman fuel jug was found at the scene.

Spottke said Sunday that the official cause of death will come from the coroner's office. Counselors will be available Monday at the Westminster school, she said.